Ground Rules for Negotiations - The City of Satellite Beach
Ground Rules for Negotiations - The City of Satellite Beach
Ground Rules for Negotiations - The City of Satellite Beach
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NEGOTIATIONS GROUND RULES AGREEMENT<br />
CITY OF SATELLITE BEACH AND IAFF, LOCAL 2969<br />
This <strong>Negotiations</strong> <strong>Ground</strong> <strong>Rules</strong> Agreement (hereinafter referred to as “the<br />
Agreement”) is entered into between the <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Satellite</strong> <strong>Beach</strong> (hereinafter referred to<br />
as “the <strong>City</strong>”) and the International Association <strong>of</strong> Firefighters, Local 2969 (hereinafter<br />
referred to as “the IAFF”). As used in this agreement, the <strong>City</strong> and the IAFF shall be<br />
referred to as “the parties”.<br />
In consideration <strong>of</strong> the mutual promises exchanged between the parties, the <strong>City</strong><br />
and the IAFF agree to negotiate in accordance with the terms outlined in this<br />
Agreement. <strong>The</strong>se ground rules shall only be in effect <strong>for</strong> initial contract negotiations<br />
between the parties, and shall not be applicable once a collective bargaining agreement<br />
is arrived at through the procedures set <strong>for</strong>th in Chapter 447, Florida Statutes.<br />
<strong>The</strong> parties agree as follows:<br />
1. <strong>Negotiations</strong>. <strong>Negotiations</strong> will take place between the <strong>City</strong> and the IAFF <strong>for</strong><br />
two separate bargaining units certified by the Public Employees Relations<br />
Commission (PERC) as certification number 1797 (Firefighter,<br />
Firefighter/Paramedic, Firefighter/EMT and Fire Marshall) and certification<br />
number 1798 (Captain). <strong>Negotiations</strong> shall take place at the same time <strong>for</strong> both<br />
units, with the understanding that, unless agreed to otherwise, any collective<br />
bargaining agreement arrived at will require separate ratification votes by the<br />
members <strong>of</strong> each unit. Either party also reserves the right at any time during<br />
negotiations to insist upon changing from a combined unit negotiation <strong>for</strong>mat to a<br />
separate unit negotiation <strong>for</strong>mat.<br />
2. Locations. Bargaining sessions will be held at the <strong>Satellite</strong> <strong>Beach</strong> <strong>City</strong> Hall at<br />
no cost to either party, whenever that location is available.<br />
3. Dates and Times. Bargaining sessions will be scheduled by mutual agreement<br />
as necessary.<br />
4. Chief Negotiators. <strong>The</strong>re shall be one (1) Chief Negotiator <strong>for</strong> each party,<br />
except that he/she may, on occasion, request a team member or other resource<br />
person to address a specific issue. It is understood that no tentative agreement<br />
on any Article is effective unless specifically agreed to in writing by the Chief<br />
Negotiators <strong>for</strong> each party. Each party reserves the right to determine who will<br />
serve on their respective bargaining teams.<br />
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5. Communications. Bargaining shall only take place between the parties’<br />
respective bargaining teams. IAFF bargaining unit members shall not<br />
communicate with the <strong>City</strong> Council members <strong>of</strong> the <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Satellite</strong> <strong>Beach</strong> in an<br />
attempt to influence negotiations. <strong>City</strong> Council members shall in turn not<br />
communicate with IAFF bargaining unit members in an attempt to influence<br />
negotiations.<br />
6. Release Time. Bargaining sessions will be scheduled between the hours <strong>of</strong><br />
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday whenever possible. IAFF<br />
bargaining team members who are scheduled to be on duty at the time<br />
negotiations are set shall be released from duty <strong>for</strong> the time that negotiations<br />
take place (not <strong>for</strong> preparation or travel time), unless operational needs prevent<br />
such release time. IAFF bargaining team members who are not on duty at the<br />
time negotiations are set shall attend on their own time. <strong>The</strong> <strong>City</strong> reserves the<br />
right at any time during initial negotiations to withdraw this release time<br />
agreement and require any and all bargaining unit members to participate in<br />
negotiations on behalf <strong>of</strong> IAFF on their own time.<br />
7. Data. All requests <strong>for</strong> data shall be in writing. Both parties will cooperate in<br />
providing requested in<strong>for</strong>mation as soon as possible.<br />
8. Written Proposals.<br />
a. All written proposals and material shall be submitted in an electronic<br />
<strong>for</strong>mat.<br />
b. Each party shall endeavor to submit its entire bargaining package by the<br />
fifth bargaining session.<br />
c. All proposals shall be submitted in contract <strong>for</strong>m language whenever<br />
possible.<br />
9. Agreements.<br />
a. Articles and materials agreed to by the parties will be reduced to writing,<br />
duplicated, dated and signed by the Chief Negotiators.<br />
b. If tentative agreements are reached on all articles to be included in the<br />
contract, the IAFF bargaining committee shall present the contract to their<br />
respective memberships <strong>for</strong> ratification, and encourage the bargaining unit<br />
members’ to ratify the tentative agreement. <strong>The</strong> IAFF bargaining<br />
committee shall then notify the <strong>City</strong>’s Chief Negotiator about the result <strong>of</strong><br />
the ratification vote.<br />
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10. Recording. No mechanical or other recording devices shall initially be used<br />
during the negotiations sessions. <strong>The</strong> <strong>City</strong> and the IAFF reserve the right at any<br />
time during negotiations to modify this position and electronically record<br />
sessions. Each party is responsible <strong>for</strong> taking its own notes.<br />
11. Arrangements. <strong>The</strong> date and time <strong>of</strong> the next negotiations meeting shall, if<br />
possible, be agreed to be<strong>for</strong>e the close <strong>of</strong> each bargaining session.<br />
12. Caucus. A caucus may be called at any time during negotiations by the Chief<br />
Negotiators. <strong>The</strong> caucuses will be part <strong>of</strong> the regular negotiations meeting. It<br />
should not be longer than one half hour. Caucuses shall not be used by either<br />
party to prepare <strong>for</strong> negotiations that day. Preparation and discussion <strong>of</strong><br />
bargaining issues to be negotiated at the table should be done prior to the<br />
scheduled negotiations. Each side should be fully prepared to negotiate at each<br />
bargaining sessions.<br />
13. Media and Communications. During the negotiation period, neither party may<br />
issue any statement to any news media. <strong>Negotiations</strong> are confidential to the<br />
extent permitted by law.<br />
14. Non-Recrimination or Discrimination. <strong>The</strong> <strong>City</strong> agrees that there shall be no<br />
recrimination or discrimination against IAFF bargaining committee members <strong>for</strong><br />
any action taken or statements made at any bargaining session; provided that<br />
such actions or statements are reasonably within the scope <strong>of</strong> their<br />
responsibilities as employees <strong>of</strong> the <strong>City</strong> and reasonably within the scope <strong>of</strong> their<br />
responsibilities as representatives <strong>of</strong> the IAFF.<br />
15. Amendments. <strong>The</strong>se <strong>Ground</strong> <strong>Rules</strong> shall only be amended and changed,<br />
added to, or deleted by mutual agreement between the <strong>City</strong> and the IAFF.<br />
For the IAFF<br />
For the <strong>City</strong><br />
By: _________________________<br />
Date: _______________________<br />
By: _____________________________<br />
Date: ____________________________<br />
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